Linda Neuhauser ^1*, Wendy L. Constantine ², Norman A. Constantine ³, Karen Sokal-Gutierrez ¹, Susan K. Obarski ⁴, Lacy Clayton ⁵, Mona Desai ⁶, Gerald Sumner ⁷, S. Leonard Syme ¹

¹ School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley
² Research and Evaluation Systems
³ Public Health Institute
⁴ (consultant)
⁵ University of California, San Francisco
⁶ University of Southern California
⁷ Consultant

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: lindan{at}berkeley.edu.

	Abstract

Objectives. There is a critical need for effective, large-scale health communication programs to support parents of children 0-5. We evaluated the effectiveness of the Kit for New Parents, a multi-media health and parenting resource now distributed annually to 500,000 California parents. Methods. In this quasi-experimental study, 462 intervention and 1011 comparison mothers, recruited from prenatal and postnatal programs, completed a baseline interview about health-relevant parenting knowledge, and intervention mothers received a Kit. Both groups were re-interviewed two months later. At 14-months post-baseline, 350 intervention mothers and a sample of 414 equivalent comparison mothers were interviewed about parenting knowledge and practices. Results. Of intervention mothers, 87% reported using the Kit within two months after receiving it, and 53% had shared it with their partner. At both follow-ups, intervention mothers showed greater gains in knowledge, and reported better practices at 14 months than did comparison mothers. Gains were greater for prenatal recipients and for Spanish speakers. Providers considered the Kit a valuable resource for their parenting programs. Conclusion. Results suggest that the Kit is an effective, low-cost, statewide health intervention for parents.

Key Words: Health Education, Health Promotion, Maternal and Infant Health, Public Health Practice, Hispanics/Latinos, Statistics/Evaluation/Research